Clutch.



W. F. GROENE.

CLUTCH.

APPUCATION FILED JUNE I2. 191:.

1,288,568, Patented Dec. 2%, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET I W. F. GROENE.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

2 SHEET$SHEET 2.

. ment in Clutches, of which the following de-.

' shafts and for other purposes.

inn mm can.

WILLIAM r. GROENE, or CINCINNATI, oI-Iio, AssIeNoN 'ro THE R. K. LEBLOND MACHINE TOOL CoI/IrANY, or CINCINNATI, were, A CoRroNA'rIoN or OHIO.

cannon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented net. 24, was.

Application filed June 12, 1917. Serial No. 174,210.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, WiLmAM F. GRoENE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cilicinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented an Improvescription, in connection )with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

The invention hereinafter described re-- lates to clutches for connecting pulleys to One of the objects of the invention is to provide sim le and effective operating means forexpanding a split ring into gripping engagement with a pulley.

'Another object is to provide an operating means which may bequickly and easily assembled-and held in its operative relation with respect to the split ring.

\ Still another object is to provide simple and effective means for lubricating the pulley and holding the expansion ring .in proper position axially of said, pulley.

The character of the invention may best be understood by reference to the following description of one good form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken on the line 11 of Fig. 2, showing a pulley and clutch mechanism embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line- 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail of the end portions of the split ring and the device between the same, for expanding thering;

Fig. 4 on an enlarged scale, is a vertical section taken on the line 44 of Fig, 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing the position of the cam in expanding the ring;

and

Fig. *6 is a perspective view of the cam and the locking member cooperating there with to limit movement of said cam transversely to the plane of the ring.

Referring to the drawings The mechanism shown therein asembodying the invention comprises a shaft 1 having a sleeve 3 thereon provided with a bearing portion on which is journaled the hub 5 of a pulley 7. A Hub 9 at one end of said. sleeve has resilient arms 11 projecting therefrom, in

the presentinstance of the invention said arms being formed with a compound curve. These arms serve to support a split ring, in the present embodiment of the invention composed of two sections 13. The ring sections may be located within and be adapted' to expand into frictional engagement present instance of the invention, this device comprises a cam element 17 in the form of a stud 1ournaled 1n a recess 19, 1n one of the opposed ends of the split ring and having a slabbed-ofi' face 21 adapted to expand the ring as more fully hereinafter described.

Cooperatingwith the cam is a locking member typified, herein in the' form ofa plate 23 located between the opposed ends of the'split ring. This locking member presents a flat face 25 opposed to the flat face of the cam element, the construction bein such that as the cam is rocked, its flat face will wipe along and react against the plate, thereby bringing a longer radius of the cam into. play and causing the ring to be expanded from its position shown in Fig. 4 to its position shown in Fig. 5.

To prevent movement of the cam element or stud transversely to the plane of the ring, the opposed fiat faces of the cam element and locking member are provided with intor-engaging elements, conveniently in the form of a tongue 27 on one, fitting a groove 29 on the other. The tongue and groove are disposed radially of the ring and therefore will permit rocking of the cam element to expand the 'ring, but at the same time will prevent relative movement of the cam element and locking member transversely of the ring.

To limit movement of the locking member transversely of the ring, it may have a flange or lip 33, Fig. 6, projecting therefrom and adapted to engage the end 35 of the cam element and the rear face of one of the ring sections. A flange 36 on the cam may engage the front face of said ring section and thereby limit movement of the cam and locking member in the opposite direction.

To limit movement of the locking memher radially of the ring, it may have a projection adapted to enter a recess 37 1n the end of the split ring opposite the end in which the cam element is journaled. The recesses receiving'the cam element and lock- .ing member may conveniently constitute parts of a single boreformed in the opposed ends of the ring sections.

To operate the cam element, it may have a bell crank 39 integral therewith or other,- wise connected thereto, having an arm projecting inward toward the shaft 1 referred to, and provided with a bolt 41 adapted to engage a sliding cone 43, Fig. 1, mountedon said shaft. The other arm of the bell crank carries a weight 45 which tends to move outward by efi'ectof centrifugal force thereon and thereby maintains the bolt in contact with the cone. The bolt may be adjusted P relatively. to its arm to vary the pressure of the clutch.

The parts of the device for expanding the ring may be very quickly and easily assembled therewith. To accomplish this, it is merely necessary to slide the cam into its recess and then slide the locking member radially of the ring into place between the opposed ends of the ring sections, said ends being spread apart sufiiciently for this purpose. Upon release of said ends, the projection 35 on said locking member will snap into its recess. Thus, the cam element is locked against movement transversely of the ring merely by the assembly of said element and the locking member with the ring, as described. After the parts are thus assembled, they are securely maintained in their operative relation Without danger of dislocation, because there are no parts to work loose and get out of place.

To lubricate the bearing surface of the pulley and sleeve, an oil reservoir 47, Fig. 1, may be mounted on the shaft 1 and be a threaded on a reduced end 49 of the sleeve. The hub 9 may be formed to engage one end of the hub 5 ofthe pulley to limit move- 4 ment of the latter axially of the shaft in one direction and the oil reservoir may have an end 51' for engagement,with the opposite end of the hub of the pulley to limit movement thereof axially in the opposite direction. Thus, the hub of the clutch mechanism and the oil reservoir in serving their dual functions, contribute to the compact, simple organization of the mechanism. I To conduct theoil from the reservoir to the bearing surfaces, ports 53 may be provided in the sleeve axially thereof and communicate with grooves 55 opening toward the bearing surface of the pulley. Suitable wicks (not shown) may extend from the reservoir through .said ports into said grooves to conduct the oil to the bearing surfaces by capillary attraction.

To secure the sleeve to the shaft, the oil ,asaees reservoir may be provided with a thick wall 57 having one or more screws 59 threaded radially therethrough and adapted to engage the shaft. The oil reservoir may be filled through an inlet 61 in the wall 57 and closed by a suitable stopper.

In use, it may be supposedthe pulley is driven by a belt and it is desired to connect the pulley to the-shaft so as to drive the latter therefrom. To accomplish this,- the cone'43 is shifted to the left, Fig. 1, thereby rocking the bell cranks and the cam studs thereon from their position in Fig. 4' to their position shown in Fig. 5. As a consequence, the flat faces of the cams will slip along and react against the fiat faces of the locking members and thereby expand the ring into the flange 15 of the pulley. Since the ring is mounted on and rotates with the sleeve which is fast on the shaft, upon being connected with. the pulley it will cause rotation of said shaft.

When it is desired to release the clutch, the done 43 is shifted to the right of Fig. 1 and the effect of centrifugal force on the bell cranks will cause them to rock in a direction to return the cam elements to their position shown in Fig. 4. This movement is assisted by the resilience of the arms 11 of the ring sections which tend to retract the latter from the flange of the pulley.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown, but that extensive deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is 1. In a clutch, the combination with a split ring having recesses in opposed ends thereof, of a cam element journaled in one of said recesses for expanding the ring, meansto operate said cam element, and 'a member I in the other recess for limiting movement of said cam element transversely to the plane of said ring.

2. In a clutch, the, combination with a split ring having recesses in the opposed ends thereof, of a cam element mounted in one of said recesses, and a plate mounted in the other recess, said cam element and plate 11; having interengaging means for limiting member and locking member having tongue and groove means for limiting movement of said cam element transversely to the plane of said ring.

4. In a clutch, the combination with a split ring having opposed ends, of a cam element mounted in one of said ends, a locking member between said ends, said cam messes member and locking member having means limiting relative movement thereof transversely of said ring, and means limiting movement of said locking mem'ber radially and transversely of said ring.

5. In a clutch, the combination with a split ring having recesses in opposed ends -thereof, of a cam element journaled in one of said recesses, a locking member projecting into the other recess to limit the same radially of said ring, and means to limit movement of said member transversely of said ring, said cam element and locking member having interengaging means to limit relative movement thereof transversely to said ring.

6. In a clutch, the combination with ring sections, of a hub, resilient arms connecting said sections with said hub, cam elements for spreading opposed ends of said sections, locking members adapted to be snapped between said ends to secure said elements in operative position, and means for rocking said elements;

7. In a clutch, the combination with a ring having opposed ends, a cam element for spreading said ends, a locking member adapted to be snapped between said ends to for spreading said ends, locking members adapted to be snapped between said ends to secure said elements in operative position, and bell cnanks for rocking said cam elements having weighted arms and operating arms.

9. In a clutch, the combination of a circular member, a split ring mounted therein having opposed ends with a bore formed partly in each of said ends, a plate or equivalent member over the "part of said bore in one of said ends, a stud having a flat face for wiping engagement with said plate or member and a rounded portion seated and adapted to rock in the other part of said bore, and means to rock said stud to expand said ring into clutching engagement with said circular member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM F. GROENE. 

